Smart Grid Consortium Highlights Grid Modernization Efforts throughout New York

The New
York State Smart Grid Consortium (NYSSGC), a public-private
partnership devoted to statewide implementation of the smart grid, today
provided an update on grid advancements by energy stakeholders and
academic institutions that are currently underway throughout the state.
Following Hurricane Sandy, the NYSSGC has taken on several initiatives
over the first half of 2013 to highlight the importance of investment
into hardening the state's energy infrastructure and deploying
innovative smart grid technologies that will make New York's energy
system more robust, resilient and adaptable.

"As a collaboration of utilities, technology providers, policy makers
and research institutions, the NYSSGC is committed to serving as both an
advocate for smart grid initiatives and a resource to the public on grid
modernization efforts in New York State," said James T. Gallagher,
Executive Director, New York State Smart Grid Consortium. "In support of
priorities outlined by Governor Cuomo as part of the New York Energy
Highway Blueprint, our members are working toward a coordinated smart
grid effort that will create a more flexible, efficient, and resilient
grid to fully support New York's ambitious energy goals and ensure we
are prepared for both future challenges and opportunities."

As New York academic institutions and industry researchers currently
work toward a smarter energy grid and educate the next generation of
industry leaders, a few highlights of member-related activity during the
first half of 2013 include the following:

The Brookhaven National Lab/Stony Brook University Smarter Grid
Research, Innovation, Development, Demonstration, Deployment Center
(SGRID3) responded to Hurricane Sandy through an SGRID3-led
collaboration to develop a comprehensive proposal for the use of
dynamic microgrids to support greater resilience and faster recovery
for Long Island Electric Grid. In addition, the academic institutions
are also collaborating with Orange (News - Alert) and Rockland Utilities and Central
Hudson Gas and Electric on modeling and simulation as a key part of
building a smarter grid vision to withstand extreme weather.

Professor Lei Wu of Clarkson University received a $400,000 Faculty
Early CareerDevelopment (CAREER) award for "Smart Grid"
research by the National Science Foundation. Wu will embark on a
five-year project to develop a nation-wide blueprint of electrical
grid updates and develop algorithms to find favorable sites for and
reduce the unpredictability of renewable energy facilities.

Eight Con Edison researchers received the prestigious Technology
Transfer Award from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), a
national energy research organization, for their work on projects to
make the delivery of electricity safer and more affordable.

New York Power Authority's (NYPA) chief electrical engineer Bruce
Fardanesh was elected by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers (IEEE (News - Alert)) as an IEEE Fellow for his achievements in developing
and integrating advanced technologies for enhanced operation and
control of power systems as demonstrated on NYPA's power grid. Five
NYPA employees were also honored with the 2012 Technology Transfer
Award from EPRI in recognition of their contributions involving
electric power generation, power utilization and the environment.

"The progress so far this year illustrates the value of smart grid
research and technologies to improve grid reliability, resilience and
reduced electric power costs," added Gallagher. "While the public
envisions the smart grid as the domain of utility companies and
regulatory agencies, there are also a considerable number of other
stakeholders contributing to the advancement of grid modernization."

Several NYSSGC members have also made significant progress in the
implementation of smart grid pilot projects, as well as strategic
investment in grid enhancements in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.
Highlights of member-related activity during the first quarter of 2013
include the following:

The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) has installed 38 of
39 phasor measurement units (PMUs) at strategic locations throughout
the state as part of a federal matching grant in the amount of $75
million it was awarded by the Department of Energy in 2010. The PMU
network will improve grid operators' ability to more quickly detect
irregularities, predict problems and take corrective action to
maintain reliability, and will eventually connect to other regional
networks to provide grid operators with broader situational awareness
of grid conditions throughout the eastern United States and Canada.

To date, Consolidated Edison, Inc. has invested over $300 million to
implement smart grid projects that include remote controlled switches
and capacitors that improve the efficiency of the system

National Grid successfully deployed 5,000 smart meters as part of its
early field trial for the Smart Grid Pilot (now named Smart Energy
Solutions Program), with an additional 10,000 customers in Spring 2013
through full meter deployment as approved by the Department of Public
Utilities. The full pilot will commence in early 2014.

About the New York State Smart Grid Consortium

New York is home to a world-class leading effort designed to establish a
pathway towards lowering the cost and increasing the efficiency of our
Grid. The New York State Smart Grid Consortium (NYSSGC) brings together
the world's leading utilities, technology providers, policy makers and
research institutions to identify opportunities that show the most
promise for broader smart grid technology deployment. The Consortium
provides the perfect convening point to develop, test and eventually
implement the best solutions and a way to work with policy makers to
identify needed regulatory developments. In addition to serving as an
advocate for the best technology and policies, the Consortium serves as
a resource and collection of experts when it comes to the future of New
York State's grid. Incorporated on July 22, 2009, the Consortium is a
not-for-profit 501(c) 6 corporation - for more information, please visit www.nyssmartgrid.com.